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This week I've tried to share with you why I think reading aloud is so important, how we choose read alouds, my favorite links, and some of what we are currently reading aloud. Heritage History is also giving away four collections of their living history books.

All of the posts can be found on the Read Alouds page. Next week there will be a guest post from Andrew Pudewa, as well as free downloads and a wonderful giveaway.

It is only appropriate that Collage Friday this week be about reading aloud. To be truthful, since a large part of my focus has been on this series, I only felt it appropriate to practice what I preach and read aloud A LOT this week. We were easing back into a routine after a week of being away - not an easy thing to do.

It never ceases to amaze me how happy and peaceful our homeschool is when there is much reading!

On our recent trip we had the opportunity to visit a bison ranch. The kids fed bison and got to ask a lot of questions about them. When we returned home I pulled out a book our local librarian had loaned us, Buffalo Hunt. The book teaches all about the importance of the buffalo, their prime importance to Indians, and the sad disappearance of the millions of buffalo in the west.

While I read aloud, the kids painted pictures of buffalo and played Lincoln Logs. We spent one morning on our deck, reading, playing, painting, and watching leaves fall. These are days I never want to forget.

I know with certainty that my children learn more this way than by any worksheet or workbook I could give them. This is REAL learning, learning that will LAST.

As followup from our trip, my husband chose one picture for each of the children. The picture was something special he remembered from our time together - a picture he wanted them to write about. My daughter's picture was of The Oregon Trail Ruts. She researched more about the ruts and wrote a short paper about them.

My son's picture was of him sitting on a horse at the Buffalo Bill Museum. He did a creative writing/diary entry about his day visiting Buffalo Bill's grave.

Finally, Grant loves the stuffed buffalo he purchased with his souvenir money; that little buffalo stuck with him all week as we've been learning more about these majestic animals.

I allowed the kids PLENTY of time this week to pursue their own interests (selfishly, I could get laundry and housework done this way, too!).

Anna spent time sewing.

Grant, of course, played baseball. This is the last full week of fall ball, and I know he will be sad when we're not going to practice three times each week.

Grant also spent THREE HOURS one morning working through the drawing tutorials on Art for Kids. Rob, the creator of this site, is a genius! You NEED to investigate this site! (It's my favorite resource this week.)

Finally, another read aloud in progress this week on the Kindle: Eric Liddell - Christian Heroes Then and Now - Grant and I are reading this while Anna is in her weekly math class. It's taking us a while, but it's a fabulous book.

We did complete math, writing, and spelling lessons. Of course there was a lot of history learned, too. Piano was practiced, and the Bible was read each morning. The kids were happy to see their friends at co-op after a week away, and I WASN'T happy to come home to a dog that had gotten fleas while we were away.

Overall, it was a GOOD week. Please join me next week for the continuation of The 10 Days of Reading Aloud.

I would love for you to link with Collage Friday. It's easy - link your blog post with photo collages from your homeschool week. Then, visit other bloggers on the list to gain ideas and offer encouragement. Please be sure to grab a Collage Friday button or text link back to this post.

This post is a part of the iHomeschool Network's Homeschool Hopscotch... you can access many great blog series by clicking on the image below!